Frequent Fliers Poll

A recent thread about the fate of one's bike while riding in an ambulance got my attention. It looked like a sizable percentage of the responders had been involved in more than one bike crash that resulted in an ambulance ride. It got me wondering if this was just an aberration or if some cyclists are significantly more prone to serious crashes than others.

What do you say? Are you, or someone you know, a "frequent flier"? (My local emergency responders call the folks they regularly transport frequent fliers.)

I sure hope the vast majority says none. Although I know most of us have hit the pavement once or twice - hopefully it was not enough to send us to the ER.

I had a rash of crashes a few years back - one crash every year for three years, all caused by essentially the same thing - inattentive bike handling. Three crashes finally got the message into my thick skull and I haven't made the same mistakes again. None of these crashes had me riding in a meat wagon or sent me to the ER.

"Of all the things I ever lost I miss my mind the most." Mark Twain
If all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

I've got the 2 and I really should have had 3. When I was about 10 I face planted into the side of a utility company pick up truck and seriously split my forehead open. The utility truck driver drove me to the hospital. Things were different in the 50's.

Since my last accident it has frequently crossed my mind how everything can be totally calm and normal and, in just a couple of seconds, your whole life can turn upside down. If there's such a thing as a routine fall that's what my last should have been. Unfortunately, I landed in such a way that it broke both of my elbows. That kind of limited my ride-myself-back-to-the-car options.

I've had one major bike crash and that was back when I forst got back on a bike since childhood. That one landed me cuts and bruises (especially my ego). But the stupid award goes to the time back in 75 when I rode a motorcyle and crashed right into a paneled truck. Ambulanced and hospitalized for 2 weeks. Needless to say I don't ride motorcyles anymore. Fingers crossed on no more major crashes.

I've had a few that could have resulted in ambulance rides, but in those instances I decided I could make it home on my own and did so, then drove or was driven to get x-rayed, stitched, and even operated on.

I crashed one time into a black car that was parked on the side of a very dark street at night.
It was just around a corner and I was really moving. Being young and stupid with no lights
managed to ride away -- one hurting puppy though.